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18 November 2007 Special PNB Meeting

12 November, 2007 - 12:16 — national-editor

NOTICE OF PNB TELECONFERENCE MEETING

PNB Teleconference

Sunday Nov. 18, 2007, 3pm PST

This meeting is a special meeting called for the sole purpose of dealing with urgent matters related to the conduct of delegate elections. Previously noticed motions by Robinson and by Schroell (see below for text), along with any other time-sensitive motions related to the conduct of delegate elections will be considered.

An executive session will follow the meeting, to address any confidential legal issues related to the conduct of elections.

Motion by Robinson:
"I am concerned that the process of overseeing and certifying the fairness of Pacifica’s delegate elections in compliance with the Bylaws has been politicized beyond repair.

Accordingly, I move that the Foundation permit the CA State Mediation and Conciliation Service, the American Arbitration Association, the League of Women Voters, or other qualified nonpartisan organization to assume responsibility for certifying the fairness of the current elections process; and that;

For future elections, one of the above organizations shall perform the role of national elections supervisor, to ensure that they are conducted fairly, in accordance with the bylaws and to provide for accountability.

Further, that the interim Executive Director appoint a task force convened by and comprised of individuals experienced with elections processes, who are not current or past members of a Pacifica governing body or Pacifica employees. All members of this task force shall represent the PNB and the Foundation, rather than individual stations; further, the membership of the task force shall be reflective of the diversity that is the goal and policy of the Pacifica Foundation.

The function of the task force shall be to make specific recommendations for the overhaul of our democratic elections processes, in order to restore their integrity and to fulfill the spirit of the Pacifica mission, namely:

  • recommending changes in the Pacifica bylaws and policies pertaining to delegate elections;
  • proposing a process, timeline and structure for promulgating clear and concise elections regulations;
  • making local station airwaves the medium for campaigning rather than privately-funded mailings to members;
  • promoting wider participation by membership in the democratic election process and in local station governance; and,
  • exploring an internet-based elections process, capable of simplifying the complexities and costs associated with these elections."

Motion by Schroell:
Motion to rescind parts 3 and 4 of the PNB MOTION ON DISCRIMINATORY DELEGATE CANDIDATE STATEMENTS previously adopted by the PNB, as follows:

  1. The Pacifica National Board (PNB) declares that it is contrary to the Pacifica mission and the Foundation's policy forbidding discrimination, and shall not be allowed, for any Delegate candidate to use Pacifica resources to distribute discriminatory statements on the basis of race, nationality, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, ability/disability, or age, as part of any written or oral election-related statements.
  2. The PNB charges the Committee to Investigate Allegations of Racism and Sexism with developing recommendations to the PNB for a mechanism to administer and enforce the above-stated policy, and also supports the existing work of the Committee to develop a plan for anti-racism training throughout the network.
  3. The PNB condemns the racist characterizations in the candidate statement of WBAI Delegate candidate Albert Solomon, who has since been disqualified, as discriminatory against people of African ancestry and contrary to the Pacifica mission.
  4. The PNB urges the National Election Supervisor to arrange that:

a) an on-air statement noting Mr. Solomon's disqualification and summarizing this motion be aired on WBAI with the same frequency as the candidate carts;
b) a mailing be sent to all WBAI members with the text of this motion and an explanatory note;
c) the original candidate statement of Albert Solomon be restored to the Pacifica website so that all are clear on the offensiveness of his words, alongside the text of this motion; and
d) the text of this motion be published prominently on the pacifica.org/elections webpage and on the webpage with the WBAI Listener Candidates.

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